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On November 12, NewForesight presented the Sustainable Sector Transformation Model, result of the second phase of the study that was done under IFC assignment.

The model was introduced at the workshop ‘’Alignment for Impact’’, a side-event of the Supply Management Congress in Amsterdam. Besides the Steering Committee of the study, consisting of IFC, IDH, SECO and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the audience included members from the cocoa industry, donors, major sector experts, representatives from Solidaridad, Rabobank and ISEAL Alliance. The results will also be presented at a conference in Vietnam the end of November.

The aim of the study was to develop a transformation model for sustainability in smallholder-dominated agricultural commodity sectors. It seeks to offer a theory of change for sustainable market transformation, through the analysis of the level of sustainability in coffee, cocoa, cotton and the palm oil sector. The research consortium, which is comprised of NewForesight and its partners, Aidenvironment and IIED, conducted field studies in Vietnam, Indonesia, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Mali.

The model was well received and NewForesight is currently exploring with the Steering Committee and its partners what phase III of the study would look like. Possible directions are to include more sectors, to put the model to work at head quarter level or to start implementing the model on a field level in the five countries that were researched.